I am having problems thinking clearly and remembering words ect. I have heard this is an early sign. I am not vegan yet but working toward it. I am doing my research now. In researching B-12 today I came accross the following statement:

Note to vegetarians and vegans: B12 is found ONLY in animal productsB12 is the only vitamin that contains a trace element (cobalt), which is why it’s called cobalamin. Cobalamin is produced in the gut of animals. It’s the only vitamin we can’t obtain from plants or sunlight. Plants don’t need B12 so they don’t store it.

A common myth amongst vegetarians and vegans is that it’s possible to get B12 from plant sources like seaweed, fermented soy, spirulina and brewers yeast. But plant foods said to contain B12 actually contain B12 analogs called cobamides that block intake of and increase the need for true B12.

There are vegan b12 supplements. The b12 comes from bacteria. It doesn't naturally occur in plant-based foods, though many vegan foods are fortified with it. It's a good idea to take a supplement though. Mine is raspberry flavored!

_________________"No one with hair so soft and glossy could ever be bad at anything." - Tofulish

- B 12 is a bacteria and not really produced in animals. - most people with a b-12 deficiency are actually omnivores- vegans should take a supplement, preferably relatively high doses - low quantities have a better absorption rate/efficiency than high quantities. - it's better to take "too much" b-12 than not enough cause damage from not enough b-12 can be irreversible. (seemingly high doses do not rely on the so called intrinsic factor as smaller doses do)

I use a b-12 supplement kind of irregularly. But I do take high doses. I use 1000ug a day (solgar) and if I skipped a few days, I'll take a 2000ug dose. Last time I had a blood test to check my vitamin levels everything was ok, with the exception of b-12 which was quite high.

I had my levels checked recently and they are on the high side, by the way. I take a b12 supplement (1000ug I think?) whenever I remember which is probably a few times a week? But I'm sure I skip some weeks entirely.

_________________"No one with hair so soft and glossy could ever be bad at anything." - Tofulish

I had my levels checked recently and they are on the high side, by the way. I take a b12 supplement (1000ug I think?) whenever I remember which is probably a few times a week? But I'm sure I skip some weeks entirely.

I do that as well. (sometimes I write the purchase date on a bottle to figure out my average intake for what ever the content of the bottle is)

_________________If you spit on my food I will blow your forking head off, you filthy shitdog. - MumblesDon't you know that vegan meat is the gateway drug to chicken addiction? Because GMO and trans-fats. - kaerlighed

I am sorry for the repetition of the question. I did view something on the board somewhere that talked about seaweed not being a good source which I have seen repeatedly on the internet as being a good source.

I found this interesting on the testing part as I would just walk in and asked for a standard B-12 blood test:

Testing B12 statusA blood B12 level measurement is a very unreliable test for vegans, particularly for vegans using any form of algae. Algae and some other plant foods contain B12-analogues (false B12) that can imitate true B12 in blood tests while actually interfering with B12 metabolism. Blood counts are also unreliable as high folate intakes suppress the anaemia symptoms of B12 deficiency that can be detected by blood counts. Blood homocysteine testing is more reliable, with levels less than 10 micromol/litre being desirable. The most specific test for B12 status is methylmalonic acid (MMA) testing. If this is in the normal range in blood (<370 nmol/L) or urine (less than 4 mcg /mg creatinine) then your body has enough B12. Many doctors still rely on blood B12 levels and blood counts. These are not adequate, especially in vegans.

I was also interested in another article I saw today that says your liver stores enough b-12 for up 5 years so it takes a long time to detect deficiency. Will post link if anyone wants to read the article.

Anyway your favorite sublingual or chewable brand would be my next question. Thanks!

_________________"Evolution is a constant process"If God hands you a literal lemon- keep your head up- Build a Lemonade Stand

They have a tasty orange flavor. I just take one a week since I also take a vegan multi every day that has B12.

_________________"If I were M. de la Viandeviande, I would now write a thirteen page post about how you have to have free will to be vegan, but modern science does not suggest any evidence for free will, therefore it is impossible to be vegan." -mumbles

It sounds like you're really interested in learning about the ins and outs of vegan nutrition. rather than looking at random internet resources that may or may not be reliable, i'd recommend getting the book vegan for life by jack norris and ginny messina who are both registered dietitians. you can also check out veganhealth.org, which is jack norris's site.

_________________I am not a troll. I am TELLING YOU THE ******GOD'S TRUTH****** AND YOU JUST DON'T WANT THE HEAR IT DO YOU?

My multi's B-12 is from cyanocobalamin.(200mcg) Is that good? I was looking at all the B-12's Vitamin Shoppe yesterday and so many of them had B-12 from different sources. The ones marketed as vegan of course were the most expensive.

That's a great price I will have to see if I can find that. Most articles I read seem to suggest sublingual. This article discusses borderline deficiency. It does mention you may not be eating enough animal products or if you are vegetarian none at all in which case you must take shots (if deficient) or supplements. Overall it tells you what to be watchful for and treatment which is the most productive part of the article. When you land on the page you have to scroll down to get to the article.

Overall finding your out liver can store enough B-12 for 5 years thus giving you a very long time before you may notice you're deficient, So I figure I will be really safe than sorry, that if you're vegan getting your urine tested for deficiency is the best way to check B-12 levels (so I will get it checked yearly) and that you can't neccessary OD on B-12 since it' water soluable leaves me quite comfortable with taking plenty. I had the Jack Norris book in my Amazon cart but I was a little unsure about buying it. I will get it soon.

_________________"Evolution is a constant process"If God hands you a literal lemon- keep your head up- Build a Lemonade Stand

I haven't taken any supplements so far, but I see to it that I regularly buy soy milk with added vitamins (B12 and others). Only recently a company (here in Germany) launched a toothpaste enriched with B12 ... but I still hesitate to buy it, it's quite expensive. Is there such a thing in the US? Would anyone recommend it? I have the impression there are cheaper ways to get to the vitamins we need.

I had a vitamin B12 deficiency long before I stopped eating meat and most animal products. Many people do, especially as they age - the gut stops absorbing it or something. We think my problem could have been caused by my last pregnancy when a number of things went kerblooey, though my brother who is 10 years younger (37) also has to take a B12 supplement and he eats enough meat and meat products for anyone.